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There comes a time when our children will walk out the door into the wide world to try out their own spiritual, emotional, and moral muscle. What they live out will not come from a textbook of facts or rules memorized but from the inspiration and vision that comes from their hearts and souls. The seeds we plant, water and nurture will grow over years and flourish through a vibrant life if we have taken care and intentionality with our planting.
A drive for purpose and a desire to impact others for the kingdom of God does not come out of a vacuum. First, a vision must be in your heart, growing, deepening. As you grow in your understanding of the potential God placed within each child for living purposefully, intentionally, and with a vibrant story to live out. It comes from seeing deep inside of your children's hearts and drawing out the greatness that God has built there and giving them a dream for how God will use them in the world. Children, in spite of their bundle of immaturity, strengths, weaknesses, and varying personalities are exactly what God crafted them to be to fulfill their purpose in His world.
From the time our children were wee ones, we gave each of them time to speak as a part at our conferences. We said, "God has made all of us stewards of His messages of love, redemption, and His hope and life because He has entrusted us with this light that the dark world needs. What would you like to share with all the moms to encourage them this year?"
Our two introverted children had to share just as our two extroverted ones would. Because we believe all of us are to be stewards of the gospel, we raised them to be comfortable with knowing they had a message that would turn the world upside down, too! We started with sharing our ideas and encouragement right in our living room with ten people in attendance. By faith, we kept writing and speaking and our children grew with ministry as we did. Their self-image was, "I have something to give. My personality is a gift from God to use for His glory. I have an arena in which to bring His light that no one else on earth will ever have."
Serving meals, visiting the sick, giving money to those in need, exercising hospitality, and making thousands of meals for people in our home, praying, hosting Bible studies over and over and over again for many years was the oxygen of the life my children breathed. Their dreams flowed out of being part of the life of giving and obedience that God had called Clay and me to follow.
We need to understand that vision of the heart is what empowers all of us, as God's children, to follow Him in faith and purpose in becoming fishermen in the world. It flows from inspiration, not from moralistic rules or laws to be kept. It comes from within the heart and soul of the mentor who passes on the life within her. In what ways would you like to grow personally so that you may pass on the life you have intentionally cultivated?
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